Jerry Sandusky has been sentenced to 30-to-60 years in prison on 45 counts of child sexual abuse charges, a judge announced on Tuesday.

The former Penn State assistant, and at one time presumed successor to Joe Paterno, will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. Three of Sandusky's victims spoke in court Tuesday. While one victim said that he has "cried out to Jesus" for help in dealing with the scars Sandusky left on his life, another told Sandusky, "I will not forgive you."

In a rambling address to court, Sandusky, 68, said: "We are going to smile through the pain. We're going to laugh. We're going to cry. Because that's who we are."

In June, Sandusky was convicted of molesting 10 boys over a 15-year period—a total of 45 charges. Witnesses said Sandusky used The Second Mile, a charity he founded to help disadvantaged children, as a recruiting ground for his victims. He showered them with gifts, brought them around the Penn State football program and welcomed them in his home.

Eventually, the kindness turned dark. Witnesses said he fondled them, took showers with them and raped them. Sandusky denied the allegations as he has done repeatedly, including on Monday in a recording released by the campus radio station.

"They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart. In my heart, I know that I did not do these alleged disgusting acts," he said.

According to The Citizens' Voice, Sandusky's attorneys will appeal the sentencing on multiple grounds, including lack of continuances and statements made by the prosecution. Sandusky was indicted in December 2011 and by June his trial was complete, an extremely fast turnaround for a case so complex.

One of Sandusky's attorneys, Joe Amendola, may step down in order to testify on behalf of his client that he was an ineffective attorney at trial, The Patriot-News reports. Co-counselor Karl Rominger is preparing an appeal that will include their team having insufficient time to prepare for trial.

Penn State president Rodney Erickson issued a statement. "Our thoughts today, as they have been for the last year, go out to the victims of Jerry Sandusky's abuse. While today's sentence cannot erase what has happened, hopefully it will provide comfort to those affected by these horrible events and help them continue down the road to recovery."

During trial, eight of the alleged victims testified against Sandusky. Former Penn State player and later assistant Mike McQueary said that he saw Sandusky presumably having anal sex with a young boy in the football locker room. The next morning, McQueary says he told Paterno.

Paterno then told athletic director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz. After the men discussed the situation with then school president Graham Spanier, an orchestrated coverup began to protect the image of the university while harboring a sexual predator, according to the extensive findings of the independent Louis Freeh Report.

Victim 1, the person McQueary saw Sandusky with, never did testify. Victim 1 did release a statement that was read in court Tuesday.

Victim 1 also called Sandusky "the worst kind of pedophile" for using his fame and power to victimize the helpless. The man, now 18, is expected to release a book at which time he will identify himself. Witnesses say the abuse of boys did not end there.

In the end, the scandal brought a revered institution to its knees.

Paterno was fired, then died of lung cancer in January. Curley and Schultz, indicted on perjury charges, are awaiting trial in January 2013.

The fallout also bled into the football program. The NCAA handed down severe punishment for what it declared was a prohibitive and dangerous culture for athletics. Penn State was fined $60 million. Scholarship sanctions will impact the program for decades. Players were allowed to leave the program at will without sitting out at their new schools. Penn State cannot compete in the postseason for four years.

Paterno, then the winningest coach in the history of major college football, was stripped of 111 career victories and a 7-foot bronze statue of the coach outside Beaver Stadium was removed.

Penn State is now the subject of civil lawsuits filed by at least four of the victims.